1.0 Field of the Invention
This invention relates to viewing and editing information in windows, and more particularly, to viewing and editing information in multicast windows.
2.0 Description of the Related Art
Large files in combination with a limited amount of display area on display devices continue to present problems for a user of applications and tools encompassing those files. Although many enhancements have been made over the years, significant problems still remain.
One conventional method used to display the information in a large file is to present the file in a scrollable area on the display, with various user controls, such as a scroll bar or search dialog box, and display a portion of the file containing the information or data (text and/or graphic) of interest. When the user scrolls the file, the previously displayed information may be entirely scrolled off the display screen. For example, a user may be preparing a document, such as a large research paper. The user may need to scroll or refer back to various sections of the document at different time to facilitate the task at hand, for example, editing a desired section. It would be desirable for the user to be able to retain the current document position on the display while still being able to access reference information contained in other parts of the document. Ideally the user would like to view selected sections of a file concurrently on the display, and not have them scrolled out of view with each successive search or scroll operation. In addition the user would like to edit different sections of the document as well, while all sections of interest are concurrently displayed.
One application allows a user to split a window into two panes. The document can be edited in one pane of the window, and the editing changes may appear in the other pane of the window. However, the split window does not provide independent minimize, maximize and close icons which allow each portion of the split window to be independently minimized, maximized and closed. Furthermore, the portions panels of the split window cannot be independently resized or overlapped.
In addition, that application allows a user to open new windows which display the same document as the original window. Depending on how the new window was opened, editing changes made in one window are reflected in all windows, or alternately, editing changes in one window do not appear in the other windows. However, the application does not provide a mechanism to avoid updates in one window from appearing in the other windows and subsequently allow updates to re-appear in the other windows.
Therefore there is a need for an improved technique that allows a user to concurrently view and edit different sections of information in a file in different windows. The technique should also provide a mechanism to avoid updates in one window from appearing in the other windows, and subsequently allow updates to reappear in the other windows.